Recipe Column: Creamy Spinach and Broccoli Lasagna

Some food inventions are brilliant, whipped cream in a can and instant mashed potatoes to name a few. No-boil lasagna noodles! No more man against large slippery noodles challenge. Gone forever are ripped noodles that noodlers try to match together like a jigsaw puzzle.
Traditional lasagna is often made with meat and red gravy. Served with steamy garlic bread and crunchy lettuce salad, the meal is about perfect.
Raise eyebrows when you say, “Creamy Spinach and Broccoli Lasagna” when your family asks about the dinner menu. The skeptics will mumble something about how it is not really lasagna and reluctantly poke at it. By the time the fork is out of their mouth, they will take their foot out so more lasagna can go in.
Creamy Spinach and Broccoli Lasagna
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• Salt and pepper
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 10 oz package frozen leaf spinach, thawed and squeezed dry, roughly chopped
• 1 10 oz package frozen broccoli florets, thawed and patted dry, roughly chopped
• 1 15 oz container ricotta
• 6 oz mozzarella, grated (about 1 1/2 cups), divided
• 1 cup grated Romano cheese, divided
• 1 cup whole milk
• 4 oz cream cheese, cut into pieces
• Pinch of freshly grated or ground nutmeg
• 8 no-boil lasagna noodles
Preheat oven to 425. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, ¼ tsp each salt and pepper and cook, covered, stirring occasionally until very tender, 6-8 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Place the spinach and broccoli in a large bowl. Mix in the ricotta, 1 cup mozzarella and ¼ Romano. Add the milk to the onions’ whisk to combine. Bring to a simmer, whisk in cream cheese, nutmeg and remaining ¼ cup Romano. Gently simmer, do not boil, stirring occasionally, 2-3 minutes until slightly thickened. Spread 1/2 the sauce on the bottom of an 8-inch square baking dish. Top with 2 ½ noodles, breaking to fit as needed. Spread a third, about 1/3 cup, of remaining sauce over the top. Dollop with 1/3 of the ricotta mixture. Repeat twice. Sprinkle with the remaining ½ cup mozzarella, cover tightly and foil and bake for 20 minutes. Uncover and bake until noodles are tender and the top is golden brown, about 8-10 minutes more. A sharp knife should slice through neatly. Let the lasagna rest for at least 10 minutes before serving. Serves 4.
When cooking garlic, cook and stir for just about 1 minute until it is fragrant. Add it to the pan on top of the onions, to avoid direct contact with the heat. It burns easily and quickly and can become bitter.
This unusual main dish may not be “mangia, mangia” but even the skeptics will admit it is delicious.
If it just is not lasagna to you without some meat add chicken or sausage to complete this dish.
Tried the recipe? Have one to share of your own? Please feel free to send me any tips and tricks of your own or questions you may have at thecookinggrandma@cmcherald.com.